Opponents
by Shrrgnien
Summary: "It was a fine bear. A worthy opponent..." The story of a huntress named Callisto, as only a Hunter of Artemis could tell it.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

"And that one there…oh, you must see it! That one's Pegasus. You _do_ see it?"

Thalia turned her head irritably, scowling at Diana. The inhabitants of Tent Three had taken it upon themselves to teach her every constellation in the night sky. "I don't see anything!"

"Neither do I," came a sarcastic call from the nearby trees. "Talk a bit _louder_, why don't you?"

"Sorry, Kim!" Diana called.

Continuing in a much quieter voice, Cynthia asked, "Are there any constellations you _do_ know?"

Thalia sighed. "The Big Dipper," she said, pointing.

"Ursa Major," snapped Alene. "A memorial to Callisto. After everything that happened, after…how would you put it? After all the crap she went through, the least you could do is show a little respect!" She leapt to her feet and stormed back toward the dim embers of the Hunters' dying campfire, and Thalia saw the shimmer of a tear on her cheek before she was swallowed by darkness.

Thalia was stunned. Alene was normally a silent observer, almost fading into the background. In Thalia's eight months with the Hunters, she had heard the wispy little girl say a total of ten sentences. This furious outburst was unprecedented in the current lieutenant's experience.

After a few moments of shocked silence, Cynthia pulled herself to her feet. "I'd best talk with her," she sighed, starting after the girl.

"Cyn, wait," said Thalia suddenly. "What…what did I _say_?"

Cynthia and Diana exchanged a long, meaningful look. Then Diana sighed and sat up properly. "You tell her," she said quietly. "It's your story, not mine."

Cynthia shook her head. "You tell it best. Stories are your forte, after all. Besides…like you said, I was there. That's why I need to talk to Alene right now. Tell her. Thalia deserves to know; it's her story too, now."

Diana nodded. The daughter of Apollo thought for a few moments, looking extremely upset. "Where do I start?" she finally said, giving a weak attempt at a smile.

"Just start at the beginning," said Cynthia softly, and hurried after Alene.

Diana nodded and paused for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts. Finally, she looked into Thalia's eyes and asked, "How well do you know the legend of Callisto?"

Thalia considered. "Not too well…she was a Hunter, right?"

"One of the first," Diana replied. "And one of the most loved. There are very, very few who can remember her; only four of us now since Zoë died, and one of the four is Lady Artemis."

Thalia nodded, unsurprised. "So she lived a while before Zoë joined, then?"

Diana hesitated. "Not really, no…not much before. Perhaps five years. The only current Hunters who were alive at the time are Cynthia and I."

"Not Alene?"

Diana looked pained. "Alene joined some time later. That's one of the reasons you need to hear this story. She was…she shared a very special connection with Callisto."

"Like Tori and Kim?"

"No," said Diana softly. "They were two of the only blood relatives we've ever had."

"Sisters," breathed Thalia in horror. "Poor Alene…"

"Something like that," whispered Diana, so softly that Thalia didn't hear her. "So, the story. Callisto was rather in disgrace after the incident with Zoë, which may—"

"What incident?" Thalia interrupted. Seeing her companion's irritated expression, she said, "Sorry."

"You don't know?" asked Diana. "No, of course not," she amended. "How could you? I suppose that's where I'd better start…"


	2. Chapter 1: Opponents

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to RedFluffyBanana (**_**where**_** did you get your username?), who reviewed roughly three minutes after the intro was posted. Here's to you, Fluffy.**

**Chapter 1—Opponents**

Diana closed her eyes. Her voice took on a new quality; deeper, slower. She spoke as if she were halfway in a trance. After a few moments, Thalia forgot she was just listening to a story. She could almost see the scenes unfolding behind her eyes; the power of a daughter of Apollo telling a tale near and dear to their hearts.

"The unspoken assumption is that Zoë somehow inherited the position of lieutenant. This isn't true; Lady Artemis created the position of lieutenant for Zoë, and Callisto was partially, and unwillingly, responsible. Before Zoë joined us, we were less…connected, one might say. We were loose-knit and far more individualistic than anyone in living memory has known us. There was very little sense of a bond of love, of family. We generally strayed off alone or, as in Cynthia and my case, in pairs; but lone hunting trips were the norm. It was rare for half of us to be in the same place at the same time, and when we were all together in those days there were over a hundred of us. It was exciting—oh, yes! An unfailing atmosphere of sporting adventure and freedom prevailed. Of course, there was a dark flip side to the shining coin; with so many young maidens going off alone into the woods, infested with monsters and lustful gods, many never returned. But no responsibilities, .no men, no restraints, no requirements except those set by the goddess! And these, of course, we were happy to follow, for we were, as we are to this day, proud to serve.

Thus was the atmosphere when Callisto joined us.

Her story was not unique; Zeus had seen her, wanted her, and called it 'love'. He chased her down despite her disinterest, as had happened to so many other maids. But unlike many others, she escaped…

She came to Lady Artemis that very day—and made quite the dramatic entrance! Unable to know for certain that she was not being followed, she had no time to be subtle. She quite literally threw herself at Artemis' feet and begged for sanctuary. I've rarely seen a maiden so desperate. Artemis could hardly have turned her away regardless, but there was an honest quality in her face that piqued the attention of all present, including myself. Besides, it hurt all our hearts to see the terror in that poor girl's eyes.

Callisto was a marvelous Hunter. My first thought was that she reminded me of Cynthia—they were both mortals around the same age, though Callisto was a year or two older, and they had the same hair and eyes. But the similarities were skin-deep; I soon realized that Callisto was like no one I had ever met. She was outgoing and impulsive and bright. Her very presence was like a beacon to the rest of us, and she never left Artemis' side; indeed, besides the fact that Callisto loved her as much as she loved the air she breathed, I think both girl and goddess were terrified of what might happen if she was ever out of her sight. She was a shining star, the very picture of what a Hunter should be.

And then Zoë joined.

Everything changed. Not overnight, of course, but they changed nonetheless. She was quiet, steady, unassuming…and really the polar opposite of Callisto in every way. This in and of itself was what would ultimately decide both of their fates.

Callisto loved her in the beginning. I think she saw a bit of herself in Zoë; they were both running for their lives, terrified, desperate, when they found us, and they shared a fierce and unparalleled loyalty to Artemis. But there was one difference that would drive them apart: the Hunters. To Callisto, Artemis was the only reason she had joined us. The world revolved around the place she stood, and while no one could ever say that Zoë's loyalty left anything to be desired, it was…not split…but shared. Because Zoë loved the Hunters just as fiercely. To her, they were her family. And that was how the Hunters changed.

Zoë cared deeply about her sisters. While we were all sad when a fellow Hunter was lost, Zoë felt the loss as if they had grown up together, while in reality they had probably only met a few times. And through her joy and pain we began to feel our own, to truly love and mourn our fellows. Historically, while a new Hunter was certainly a nice thing, they were looked on subconsciously with a certain amount of distrust, considered something of a nuisance that was tolerated for Lady Artemis' sake, until they proved themselves. But Zoë, remembering how shaken and alone she had felt when she first arrived, went out of her way to make newcomers feel welcome. Her tenderness and care were infectious, and we began to draw together. Slowly but surely, fewer and fewer Hunters went out alone, and those who did returned sooner. There were still many who preferred to roam alone, but they were the ones who had never really introduced themselves as Hunters of Artemis, and the non-roamers eventually formed a core group of roughly forty to fifty. Where "sister" had once meant "casual companion", it now carried a meaning of true closeness. We became, without even realizing it, a family.

Because this new togetherness had started with Zoë, she took on a new and heightened position in our minds and hearts. She was a natural leader, a rallying point, for the simple reason that she asked no one to follow her, and that knowledge gave us even greater confidence in her.

Of course, this change in the dynamics of our group didn't go unnoticed by Artemis. Seeing how devoted Zoë was to both her and her Hunters, I believe she felt the same thing we did: that here was someone we could trust.

Over the next fifty years, Artemis began giving Zoë more responsibilities, more trust. It was a lot of weight on her shoulders, but she never slacked off, always threw herself into the traces…for Artemis and for us. Although it was never official, one day she simply became Artemis' right hand, and nothing seemed more natural. It suited all of us…with the exception of one.

Callisto alone resisted the change, hated the hold Zoë had on our loyalties. She said once to Cynthia and I that she didn't trust her, but I knew she was lying, even if she didn't realize it herself. She had always been Artemis' indisputable favorite, and she resented Zoë for taking that place—and to add insult to injury, taking it without even trying. Of course, the rest of us loved Zoë, would have died for her if she would ever have allowed it, and this difference drove a wedge between us. Callisto, who had once been the ideal of the Hunters, now found herself all but shunned by them. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy: she resented Zoë for alienating the Hunters from her, but it was the fact that she resented Zoë that had alienated them in the first place. She grew tense and irritable—when she was in a good mood. At her worst she was surly and snide and generally unpleasant and probably would have been kicked out if Artemis didn't care for her so deeply.

Callisto, you must understand, was not a bad person. She was just extremely insecure. She was terrified by the sudden distance between herself and Artemis and her fear made her unreasonable. We didn't do much to help her, either; Cynthia was the only one who continued to treat her just as she always had. As a result, they were usually paired together for tasks. I began to resent Callisto even deeper for this, because I felt Callisto was forcing me away from my closest friend. Cynthia and I had been inseparable since birth; we joined the Hunters together, although she loves reminding me that she joined fifteen seconds before me, so technically she is the oldest Hunter still alive.

Regardless, however, it all came to a head one day in late spring. We had been camping in a lovely spot near a small river…oh, where were we? I've forgotten, I'm afraid, but it's not important to the story and I can hardly be expected to remember every spot we've ever camped in three thousand years. As I was saying, it was a lovely spot, but we had stayed there three nights already and it was time to move on.

Cynthia and Callisto had been fletching arrows all morning when Zoë came up to them, trepidation written clearly in her features. By this point she dreaded giving Callisto orders almost as much as Callisto hated receiving them.

"Cynthia," said Zoë, "would you kindly locate Diana? She should be nearby—I believe she said she was running low on medicinal plants and wished to see what she could scavenge. There is still plenty of time before we depart, but I wish to be ahead of schedule if possible."

Cynthia bowed her head politely, setting aside a half-finished arrow, then stood and strode off. Steeling herself, Zoë turned to Callisto and said in a civil one, "Callisto, please assist Daphne; she is just finishing some laundry at the river, but she could use some assistance." She turned to walk away, clearly relieved the conversation had gone without incident.

"No."

Everyone froze. Callisto had made no secret of her disdain for Zoë, but she had never shown such blatant defiance before.

Zoë turned. "Pardon?" she asked evenly, although the single syllable had been clear as a bell.

"I said _no,_" Callisto replied, standing. "Who do you think you are, anyway? What gies you the right to order me around?"

Zoë looked to her right, instinctively searching for Cynthia, who had smoothed over countless smaller altercations between the two. But Cynthia was out looking for me. Zoë had no one but herself.

It hit everyone at the same time. Something had shifted in the balance of power; for the moment, Zoë and Callisto were equals. This was more than just an argument; it was a direct challenge to Zoë's authority, a primal battle of wills, a fight for dominance…and if Zoë lost, it wouldn't matter how many people loved her. It wouldn't matter how much Artemis depended on her. If she lost this, she would never lead us again. And Callisto had an unfair advantage; she wanted this fight.

Zoë didn't. She didn't want to answer the challenge, and in that moment of hesitation, where she looked for a natural peacemaker to help her, she lost her chance to turn the odds in her favor.

Callisto used the opening. "That's all I want to know," she said. "You tell me what gives you the right to tell us what to do and I'll never say another word against you."

"Lady Artemis instructed me to organize the Hunters," Zoë replied coldly. The assembled Hunters let out breaths they hadn't realized they were holding. Zoë was fighting back.

"I'm not talking about Artemis," Callisto snapped. "I'm talking about you. What makes _you_ better than anyone else here? What real authority do you have?"

In that sickening second, we knew. Zoë had lost. How could she defend herself from that kind of attack? Callisto was right: she had no concrete authority, no official right to give orders. It was as if we could see her fading, wilting, right before our eyes.

"Just admit it," Zoë," said Callisto. "You have no right to lead us."

We knew it was over. We could feel her defeat like a tangible force as she prepared to sand down.

Then, something changed. A breeze rustled the leaves in the trees. Two birds took flight, spiraling into the heavens. To this day, we don't know for sure if Artemis sent that breeze or if it was a natural breath of wind, but whether divine or not, it changed something in Zoë. She lifted her head, and there was a new pride in her voice when she spoke. "Do I force thee to follow me?" she asked. "Have I ever given thee reason not to—that is the question you should ask thyself! You ask whether I am any better than my sisters. I should hardly think so! But does this mean I am somehow worse? To this, also, I should say not." It was an amazing change to see in her; for the first time, there was no guilt in her face. She seemed to finally realize that her authority was more concrete than any honorific title could ever make it. "You claim I have no authority," she continued. "I would make a distinction. I _claim_ no authority. I force no one to follow me. Does this mean I have no right to lead those who would? And do not forget, Callisto, who you, and I, truly serve. Am I to be faulted for carrying out Lady Artemis' orders to the best of my ability? That is all I aspire to do. Ask thyself: if you would fault me for this, who is in the wrong?"

Silence.

After a tense minute, Callisto said, softly, so softly that she was barely audible, "I am."

There was no flash of victory in Zoë's eyes; they were soft and gentle now, all anger gone. "If you can say that, sister," she said quietly, "there need be no more quarrel between us."

Then…" Diana laughed suddenly, shattering the spellwoven trance. "Then there was a rustling in the bushes. Cynthia stepped out with me just behind her. "Hello, everyone," I said. "What did we miss?"


	3. Chapter 2: Sisters

**Chapter 2-Sisters**

"Nice," Thalia snickered. Diana glared at her. "But I still don't get the problem. I mean, Alene wasn't even a Hunter at that point."

"Alene wasn't even born," said Diana. "But that was just a bit of background information—an Introduction to Callisto, you might say. The real trouble, the things that weren't her fault…they didn't start until about a year later. So, as I was saying before…Callisto was rather in disgrace after the incident with Zoe, which may seem odd—after all, they made up—but try to look at it this way. If—hypothetically, of course, you're doing a great job—I challenged your right to be lieutenant…even if we resolved the argument, the Hunters would never look at me the same way again."

"No kidding," said Thalia.

Diana inclined her head. "Now…you know the story?"

"Only the basics. She was a Hunter, Zeus fell for her, ricked her into letting her guard down, and…" Thalia trailed off.

"…and he attacked her and got her pregnant, yes," said Diana tersely. "The point is, nobody knew. She didn't tell anyone…not even Artemis."

Thalia winced. "Oh, gods…how did she find out?"

Diana closed her eyes, slipping once more into her storytelling trance. "She found out the summer after that little episode…"

"It was during an unbearable heat wave, truly unbearable…Apollo was furious about what had happened with Coronis; but that's a tragic story in itself and not one that's necessary to delve into at the moment.

After an afternoon of hunting, all of us were faint, miserable, and sticky. When we came across a pool, a beautiful spot where the water was cool and deep, we could have cried with relief. None of us lost any time in taking off our sandals and getting rid of our sweat-soaked clothes; none of us except Cynthia, who looked worried, and Callisto, who looked petrified.

Daphne took a running leap and somehow managed to splash everyone except Lady Artemis. Penelope did the same, jumping a bit further, then turned and waved Cynthia forward."Come on, Cyn!" she called.

Cynthia glanced around. She and Callisto were the only two still on land and fully dressed. Callisto was seated near the edge of the pool. There seemed to be something wrong with hr sandal strap; at least, it was taking a very long time to unfasten.

"Lady Artemis?" Cynthia asked. "I wonder, could I make a quick perimeter sweep? Only I have this feeling…"

Artemis frowned. "If you believe there is danger, you should not go alone. Zoë, if you-"

"-Oh, no, my lady," said Cynthia hurriedly. "I don't think it's danger exactly, but if you don't want me to go alone I'll gladly ask someone to accompany me."

I sighed. The water felt absolutely _heavenly_, but…"I'll come, Cyn," I said. "Just a second."

She laughed, a bit louder than the occasion warranted. "That's okay, Di, you look far too happy in there." She turned to Callisto and said, "I hate to ask, but…would you…?"

Cynthia nodded and stood up. "No problem, Cynthia," she said quickly, and they walked off."

With a seemingly Herculean effort, Diana forced herself into the present to explain, "Everything from here on out—up until the Hunters arrive, I mean—I didn't actually see. Cynthia told me most of it, and Alene later told me some things Callisto had noticed that Cyn hadn't, but it still may not be 100% accurate."

"That's fine, Di," said Thalia. "Just tell it as best you can."

Diana stretched and said, "Right. Where was I?"

"Cyn and Callisto were walking away."

"Ah, yes. One moment…

"Cynthi forged ahead. She didn't look at all like someone on the watch for possible danger. Once the two were well out of earshot, Cynthia strode over to a fallen tree and said, "Sit."

Callisto sat, and Cynthia settled beside her. Fr a few moments, they were silent. Then Cynthia said flatly, "When are you going to tell her you're pregnant?"

Callisto felt like her stomach had fallen out. She gaped, "How do you know?"

Cynthia shot her an irritated glance. "My mother was a midwife; I can tell about as soon as you can. It's something about your eyes. But that's hardly the point. When are you going to tell Lady Artemis you're pregnant?"

Callisto swallowed. "I…I don't know! I can't stand it! The Hunters…Cynthia, what other life do I have?"

She sounded so terrified that Cynthia's irritation vanished. "I know," she said softly. "I know you're scared, Callisto, but Artemis _will_ find out. You can't keep secrets from the gods, especially not ones like this."

"I know," Callisto muttered. "She'll figure it out soon enough…but I still have a few weeks…"

"A few weeks spent in fear and dread, Callisto? Is that really what you want?" Cynthia asked gently. "If you try to deceive Artemis…Callisto, it will break her heart. If she's going to find out, let the news come from you. It will hurt her so much less."

When Callisto still hesitated, some of Cynthia's sympathy faded. "I'll give you one week. I won't lie to Lady Artemis. I won't keep secrets from her. In one week, if haven't told her, I will."

"I'd never get past 'I'm pregnant'," said Callisto bitterly. "She'd kill me. It's not my fault, Cyn! I tried to fight him…he's a god, he was…he was just too strong."

Cynthia studied the other girl's face. "Do you want my advice?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "Start at the beginning. That's what Diana always says is integral to proper storytelling. Start at the beginning and be honest with her, Cal. She won't kill you for something that's not your fault. Come on. I you want moral support, I'll help you tell Lady Artemis."

"Tell me what?" asked a cold voice from behind them.

Callisto gave a stifled shriek. Cynthia leapt to her feet and whirled around. "Lady Artemis!" she gasped. "I…we didn't…how…how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," said Artemis sharply, "to realize the pair of you have been keeping secrets of me." Zoë didn't say anything, but her eyes flicked to me for a second.

Cynthia looked stunned. Callisto gulped, but said in a quavering voice, "Please, my lady, Cynthia had nothing to do with…she said specifically she wouldn't…she was trying to convince me to come clean."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "This, of course, means that she knows what you are keeping from me, but for the moment we shall focus elsewhere. Very well, then, Callisto, what was it you wished to tell me?"

Callisto looked faintly green as she glanced at the damp Hunters arrayed behind the goddess. "Lady Artemis," she said shakily, "If you please, may I speak with you in private?"

Artemis' other eyebrow went up, but she inclined her head. "You may." Glancing at Cynthia, she said, "Stay here; I shall deal with _you_ in a moment."

Cynthia looked pale, but relatively under control now that the initial shock of Artemis' arrival had passed. Callisto, however, looked desperate. She sent Cynthia a frantic look, as if to say _help me!_

"Just start at the beginning," Cynthia said calmly, "Starting with your predicament when you first arrived."

Callisto gave a weak nod, and she and Artemis walked off, disappearing into the trees.

There was dead silence in the clearing. Cynthia was still sitting on the log, the rest of us spread in a half-circle in front of her. After a while I sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. Zoë silently handed her a waterskin, and she took a grateful drink.

It felt like they were gone for hours, but it had most likely been four minutes when they returned. Callisto looked miserable, but also slightly relieved to no longer have a secret weighing on her. She stopped at the edge of the clearing, eyes lowered, as Artemis strode into the center. Cynthia put a hand on my shoulder. Our eyes met, and I stood up and rejoined the rest of the Hunters.

"Cynthia?" Artemis' voice gave nothing away.

Cynthia stood and walked slowly up to her. "Yes, my lady?" she whispered.

Artemis studied her for a long minute. Then, without warning, she lashed out with her right hand and struck Cynthia across the face—a vicious backhanded blow that nearly knocked her off her feet. None of the Hunters, not even Zoë, could stop themselves from flinching, but Artemis took no notice of us.

"How long have you known?" she asked in a frigid, emotionless voice.

Cynthia, taken aback by the sheer ferocity of the attack, could only gasp, "I…I don't…"

Artemis raised her hand again, and Cynthia said hastily, "Roughly three weeks, I don't know!"

Artemis lowered her head slowly, scorching fury beginning to replace her cold detachment. "Three weeks," she repeated. "Three weeks. _And you never thought to tell me?"_ Silver light flickered across her skin, and the Hunters took an involuntary step back. Cynthia cringed, meeting Artemis eyes and forcing herself to hold her gaze.

"I thought it would hurt less coming from her," she whispered.

"That," snapped Artemis, "is irrelevant. If you would so willingly guard her secret—"

"Lady Artemis?"

Callisto's voice startled all of us; we had all but forgotten she was there. Artemis turned to stare at her. She didn't give any indication that Callisto had permission to speak, but the brave girl spoke up anyway. "Lady Artemis, Cynthia wasn't trying to keep anything from you. She brought me out here today to try to convince me to tell you the truth because she didn't want to hurt you…but she also said that if I hadn't told you in a week, she would. She said she wouldn't lie to you. Please, my lady, do as you see fit to me, but this has nothing to do with Cyn."

"It has quite a lot to do with sin," said Artemis dryly. "However, as your secret was kept out of fear and not treachery, Callisto, you may leave us unharmed. I believe your nephew's family lives in Athens?"

"Yes, my lady."

"I rant you safe passage through the forests until you reach the city."

Callisto nodded, tears prickling her eyes. "Thank…thank you, my lady."

Artemis' eyes softened. "And I thank you for your years of service. You will not be forgotten. Go in peace, dear girl." Callisto managed a brave smile and a weak half-wave to her sisters before ducking her head and fleeing.

Then Artemis turned to Cynthia. Her eyes tightened with remorse as her gaze flicked to Cynthia's right cheek, which was already sporting a nasty-looking bruise. "You have acted with integrity and compassion. I could ask no more of you, besides your forgiveness."

Cynthia smiled. "Apology accepted, my lady." She put a hand to her upper jaw and winced. "…though I think you knocked out one of my teeth."

I took out a bottle of nectar and handed it to her. She took a sip and sighed. "Oh, that's much better, Di, thank you."

And for some time, that was that. There was an uncomfortable tension in the group for a few days. We had seen Artemis angry before, of course—murderous, in fact, and more than once—but she had never turned her anger on one of us, and the mark on Cynthia's face made it hard to forget. But in time the bruise healed, and with it our confidence in the goddess. Just as with Callisto, Cynthia treated Artemis with the same warmth and respect as always, at a time when the rest of us distanced ourselves, unable to quell an instinctive fear. But soon enough the rift closed. We laughed again. We breathed. We welcomed a new Hunter named Helena, and Artemis materialized directly behind her and made her fall in a lake."

Thalia was caught up in Diana's magic, but conscious enough to give a faint smile. It was almost an initiation rite amongst the Hunters. Had she been fully awake, she would have said, "Big whoop. I fell in the Hudson."

Diana, of course, continued without pausing.

"We also made Zoë's role as lieutenant official, something we felt was long overdue. Helena was a daughter of Hephaestus, and she offered to design a tiara or circlet, feeling the position merited some sort of concrete honorific. Zoë was skeptical at first but Artemis wholeheartedly approved, so she went along; and the end result, as you know, was a masterpiece that effectively ended any protests. Things returned gradually to the way they should have been all along, and that scene in the clearing was the last time any of us saw Callisto."

An owl hooted in the distance, and Thalia blinked, almost surprised to find herself in the 21st century. Something was bugging her still about the story, and she waited patiently as Diana's eyes focused slowly on her face. Diana frowned slightly. "Something wrong?" she asked, a slightly dreamy quality in her voice.

Thalia snorted. "Di. Wake up." She snapped her fingers in front of the other girl's face. "C'mon. Snap out of it."

Diana blinked rapidly and shook her head to clear the cobwebs. "Sorry," she said, sounding much more like herself. "The further I go into the trance, the longer it takes to come out of it. Anyway…is something wrong? You still look confused."

Thalia frowned. "It's just…I still don't see what set Alene off. What's the big deal?"

Diana rubbed her arms vigorously and shook her legs to get the blood flowing. "Wow," she said. "You would not _believe_ how tired this can make you."

"You don't have to finish tonight, Thalia said hastily.

Diana shook her head. "It's fine. Besides, I've been talking for hours and I still haven't gotten to the point!"

"Still."

"Still nothing, Thal. You need to know." Diana took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "As I said, that was the last time we saw Callisto. But it wasn't the end of the story…"


	4. Chapter 3: Connections

**Chapter 3-Connections**

Thalia had expected Diana to slip into her trance again, and was surprised when she didn't. "It wasn't the end of the story…in fact, most people don't even know that part. The thing they remember her for is what happened when she and her half-blood son, Arcus, were out hunting."

"What happened?"

"She was turned into a bear," Diana said bluntly.

Thalia's eyes widened. "Of course," she breathed. "I know this story."

Diana nodded. "How much do you remember?"

Thalia struggled to remember an old conversation, huddled under thin blankets around a tiny fire somewhere in Missouri. "She was out hunting with her son. They separated to search for prey, and Hera turned her into a bear. When Whatshisface-"

"Arcus," Diana said. "Please, Thalia. He was your half-brother, after all."

"Right. Sorry. So when…Argus?"

"Arcus. With a 'C'."

"Arcus. When Arcus came out of the bushes, she reared up to hug him and he killed her by mistake."

Diana looked shocked. "He did not!"

Thalia flushed. "I only know the version Luke told me, okay?"

Diana nodded. "It's all right; you just surprised me is all. Now, let me pick up where you left off…" Her eyes glazed over and her breathing slowed as she began.

"The branches rustled," she intoned. "Callisto looked fearfully toward the sound; her bear-mind recognized the scent of human nearby. Then, out stepped none other than Arcus, her dear son.

Callisto's fear vanished. She stood up and spread her arms—now paws—to embrace her son. She saw fear in his eyes and, too late, realized what caused it. Arcus raised his spear for the kill.

He was a fine hunter; that was only to be expected. He would surely have slain the bear had it not been for Artemis.

It is not widely known—indeed, it is mostly unknown even amongst the Hunters, and has only become clear to me through nearly three thousand years at Artemis' side—that when a Hunter leaves us, willingly or otherwise, they are never truly alone. Artemis watches over them, helps them, largely without their knowing it. When Lavinia fell in love with a falconer's boy in medieval Europe...I for one do not belive it was chance that their hunting hawks lived, without exception, long and healthy lives, never getting sick or injured. Artemis never abandons her own.

So it was with Callisto. Artemis could not break the enchantment and give her back her human form; Hera's magic was too powerful, and it is not wise to antagonize her. Poor sweet Echo learned that, and she was innocent of all wrong…

I think Artemis would still have dissolved the enchantment if she could and hang the consequences, but Hera was too powerful. So, as Arcus hefted his spear, she did the only thing she could; she turned him into a bear cub.

This suited Hera just fine; now not only was her mortal rival out of the way, but the half-blood son of Zeus, as well! She was extremely pleased with how events had worked out.

That smug satisfaction sent Artemis over the edge. She took the _animus_ of the two bears and placed them in the stars to spite Hera. As a final act of rebellion or love, or perhaps a blend of the two, she positioned them in such a way that they never set; each night, they share the skies with her, and each night Hera has to look at them. And to mortals, that is the end of the story…but for us, things are never so simple.

Arcus was not Callisto's only child.

Artemis had been true to her word; Callisto reached her nephew's family in Athens safely. But a young girl who comes out of nowhere and shows up pregnant in the dead of night is bound to raise a few eyebrows, start a few rumors. Before long, they had spiraled out of control and Callisto found herself reviled within her circle. Everywhere she went she was met with disapproving looks or, in some cases, ward-evil signs.

One day a group o boys was heckling her, insulting her, and not one person protested until, finally, a young man came furiously forward and told them to leave her alone in no uncertain terms. He then led Callisto away, spoke to her kindly, and accompanied her as she finished her shopping, ensuring nobody gave her a hard time. I only wish I knew that young man's name…

Whatever his name was, the two soon became fast friends. When young Arcus was born, the young man was like a father to him; and eventually he would become his father, because not long after they were married, and Callisto could certainly have done worse for herself. They were happy for a time. They had a beautiful daughter, and Arcus was a son to make any mother proud. But the young man died when his little girl was only four years old, and Arcus eight, and Callisto was alone again.

But she was a survivor, and though she had been happy with her family in Athens, she was a Hunter at hart, and I think she always missed it. So she did the natural thing; she began to train her son in the ways of a hunter. He always preferred the spear and javelin over the bow, and was skilled with them despite his youth.

The day they were transformed was the day the little girl turned eight years old. Eight has always been Artemis' minimum age for a Hunter, and Callisto saw no reason to deviate from this. When her daughter turned eight, Callisto said she was old enough to learn to hunt. Let us return, then, to the moment of Callisto's transformation. This time, however, we will see it through different eyes—the eyes of a twelve-year-old son of Zeus named Arcus…

Arcus hefted his spear, edging towards the sounds. Peering through the undergrowth, his electric-blue eyes widened as he spied a huge she-bear. Normally this would be little cause for alarm—h is mother was within earshot, after all, and he had his spear—but then he glanced back at the young girl who stood, poised and determined, behind him. His sister shared all but no resemblance to him; the only common characteristic was their nose. And she was so young…this was her first hunt…he had never intended to drag her into an altercation with a bear so soon!

Arcus placed a finger to his lips. His half-sister nodded, her light-brown hair—so different from his own!—rippled with the sharp, birdlike motion. He held up four fingers together. It was their prearranged signal: stay here.

He raised his spear and leaped out of the undergrowth."

Diana continued speaking, but with every word she seemed to be slowly, very slowly, returning to the world, the spell woven by her story fading.

"And here the story repeats itself, while I will not. You need only know one thing more. That little girl saw everything from the trees. Seeing her strong, handsome brother turned into a beast before her eyes terrified. She curled into a ball, huddled under a laurel tree, and wouldn't move. At nightfall, when Artemis went to free Callisto and Arcus' spirits, the Hunters were with her, but Cynthia was the only one who saw the little girl.

"Hello," she said softly. "Don't be afraid, little one. We're…friends of your mother's. Has she ever mentioned the Hunters of Artemis?"

The little girl blinked. "You're…the Hunters?"

Cynthia nodded, then glanced around as Artemis walked up to them. She looked down kindly at the shivering girl. "Will you join us, sweetheart?" she asked gently.

The girl looked pleadingly at Cynthia, as if begging her to tell her what to do.

Cynthia's eyes softened. "Come with us," she whispered. "You're safe here."

The girl nodded, slowly at first, then with increasing confidence. "I'd like to join you, please, my lady."

Artemis gave her the oath, and then Cynthia, realizing something for the first time, asked, "What's your name?"

The girl looked up, smiled, and answered…" Diana's eyes cleared completely. "I think you know the answer she gave."

Thalia shook her head slowly. "Oh, no way."

Diana raised her eyebrows. "Well?"

"She's not. She can't be."

"Finish the story, Thalia."

Thalia looked towards the outline of the silvery tents, barely visible in the darkness.

_"Alene?"_


	5. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Morning, Thal," yawned Cynthia the next morning. "Sleep well?"

Thalia cocked an eyebrow. Cynthia knew full well that she and Diana (who was still out cold in her tent) had been up half the night and had gotten all of two hours of sleep. Still, something told her that her second-in-command wouldn't want her to say it, not in front of the others. Somehow she sensed that the legend of Callisto needed to stay between them.

"I've slept better," she said simply. "You?"

Cynthia stifled another yawn. "The s-same."

Thalia then looked at Alene, Cynthia's silent, wispy shadow. For the first time, she noticed the slim javelin strapped to the girl's back. Near the head of the spear was carved the stylized symbol of a bear with a cub; Callisto and Arcus, her mother and brother. Several things flashed through Thalia's mind—apologies, expressions of sympathy, offers of comfort—but then she saw the hard, defiant look in Alene's brown eyes, and she knew that she didn't want any of them.

Thalia suddenly realized why she had never heard the full story of Callisto before. If it were common knowledge, Cynthia and Alene would be the focus of attention they didn't want. It was the same reason Zoë hadn't gone public about Hercules' betrayal. They wanted to move on. The past was in the past, and they didn't want to live there. Thalia wanted to communicate that she understood this, but she didn't know to put it into words.

But then, maybe it wasn't so difficult.

"How about you, Alene?" she asked, in the exact same tone she used every morning. "Sleep all right?"

Alene met her eyes, smiling, and nodded.

And just like that, the rift was mended.

_**Fin**_


End file.
